-Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling
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-A/N Get ready guys...this is where things start to get complicated...be sure to read carefully or you just might miss something important! LOL
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Loony for Luna
Chapter Seven
Revelations of the Owls
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Luna Lovegood hated it when Fred and George had detention. Particularly when it was because of her. If they hadn't had to corner her to find out why she had been moping about the week before, they wouldn't have been late for potions again and Snape wouldn't have given them an afternoon of cleaning the flobberworm tank.
Then they would be with her while she made the long, lonely walk to the Owlery to mail a letter to her father. Instead, she plodded alone through a thick blanket of snow that, thanks to another weekend snowstorm, reached a good three inches above her knees.
She sighed as she thought how Fred and George would have made a path for her with their wands, or even better, would have taken turns carrying her piggy back. Luna wasn't very good with the clearing spell and by the time she would have managed a small path, she would have been able to get to the Owlery and back three times.
But as luck would have it, she wasn't the only one in need of the Owlery this afternoon. She had barely made it to the edge of the stone circle when Ron and Hermione came up behind her.
"Hello." Hermione said cheerfully
"Hello Hermione, Ron." Luna smiled gratefully as Hermione began blowing a path ahead of them.
"A mess all this snow, isn't it?" Ron said as he caught Hermione just before she tumbled, having slipped on a hidden patch of ice.
"Yes, it is rather inconvenient." Luna agreed "Though it is very pretty."
"Where are you bodyguards today?" Hermione teased playfully
"They have detention with Professor Snape." She sighed "My fault really, I'm the one who got them in trouble."
"I doubt that." Ron snickered "Fred and George manage to find enough trouble on their own without your help."
"No, really" Luna protested "I made them late last week with my pouting over having detention with Umbridge."
The whole story was, by now, common knowledge and Fred and George's fame had been increased considerably. When questioned however, Draco Malfoy couldn't remember who had given him the tainted chocolates.
Luna was considerably grateful for the obliviate charm. Without it, Fred and George would have been in so much trouble.
"That's a pretty comb your wearing Luna." Hermione smiled as she watched the sunlight sparkle on the crystals.
"It's very sparkly." Ron grinned "Like you have snow on the side of your head."
"Thank you." Luna smiled as she climbed the stairs and began to tie her letter to Amelia's leg. "it was a Christmas gift...from a friend."
"Very tasteful friend apparently." Hermione said behind her "It wasn't Fred and George was it?"
"No" Luna carried Amelia to the window, kissed the top of her head and set her free. "At least...I don't think so. The card wasn't signed."
"Oh!" Hermione said excitedly "A gift from your secret admirer then?"
"Yes. It...it came with another poem."
Luna turned back towards them, Ron had a very peculiar look on his face and she wondered about it.
"Shoot." Hermione said "I forgot to bring a thong to tie this."
Ron dug in his pocked and came out with an old crushed scroll. From it, he untied a thin piece of ribbon. He handed it to Hermione while Luna gaped on.
The ribbon was burgundy.
-
"I never want to see another flobberworm again as long as I live." George complained as they, along with Lee, accompanied Luna on their usual trip to the library that evening.
"Snape's sadistic, not letting us wear gloves. Look..." Fred groused along. He held his hand out to Luna to examine "I think one bit me."
"Silly." Luna smirked at him "Flobberworms don't bite. They don't even have teeth."
"I hear Swedish holy men bite though." Lee grinned
"Ahh!" Fred and George laughed "He got you!"
"Very funny."
"So what did you do this afternoon, miss Swedish holy woman?" Fred asked
Luna's memory flashed momentarily on the burgundy ribbon she had seen in their brothers possession.
"Oh, nothing terribly exciting. Wrote to Daddy and then waddled through the snow to the Owlery to mail the damned thing. I really need to learn that clearing charm you know?"
"Bet that was a sight." George snickered "Weren't those drifts almost up to your nose?"
"Almost" Luna giggled "Thankfully Hermione and Ron came along when they did, I'd probably still be out there."
"Yes." Fred said "We thank God for ickle Ronniekins all the time."
"And Swedish holy men." Lee added
"That too." George grinned
"That's not very nice you know." Luna frowned at them "You should be nicer to Ron, he is your brother."
"But he's a prefect!" Fred protested
"It's such an embarrassment." George shook his head. "We expected it of Percy, he's a complete prat, always has been."
Fred actually sneered at the mention of Percy Weasley.
"But we'd almost begun to believe that Ron might be normal, like us."
"Ron's not Percy you know." Luna pointed out
"Close enough to it." Fred shook his head "Just last week that little git actually threated to take points from Gryffindor if we didn't quit throwing snowballs at the windows."
"But it's mean." Luna protested "He's not like your other brother at all. Look at how he is believing Harry and standing up for him. And he is in the DA too."
"Why are you defending him?" Fred asked "You hardly know him right?"
Luna's blush gave away the fact that she wasn't about to be honest...not completely anyway.
"Because, it's not nice to pick on people." she lowered her head "I've been picked on and I know how wretched it feels. Besides, Ron is funny, and kind of sweet sometimes."
"Aww, he knows we don't mean anything by it." Fred shrugged "Call it preemptive."
"Preemptive?" Luna scoffed
"Yes...making sure he doesn't turn out like Percy." He smiled at her innocently and Luna laughed.
"You're hopeless."
"Heard that somewhere before, haven't you?" Lee asked, a huge grin on his face.
"Once or twice." Fred smirked
"A day." Lee added
"For the last seventeen years." Fred finished.
It wasn't until they finished their homework and walked Luna back to Ravenclaw house that Fred and Lee noticed that George hadn't said a word in hours.
-
George was still not himself the next morning as they sat down to breakfast.
"So I was thinking." Ron was saying to Angelina "You think if Harry and Hermione sat in the stands and shouted insults at me during practice it might help my nerves?"
"Oh don't leave us out." Fred grinned "We want to help too. Don't we George."
"Anything for ickle Ronniekins." George muttered, adding under his breath 'Since he's just so funny and sweet.'
"What's wrong with you?" Hermione asked, surprised by George's surly mood. She had rarely seen either of the twins angry and there had always been a good reason for it.
George didn't look up "Nothing."
"Well..."Angelina broke in "As much as I am sure Fred and George would love to help you improve your keeping skills, I don't think that will help much."
Ron looked disappointed. He couldn't bear the thought of what might happen during their match against Hufflepuff in two weeks.
"I was just trying to help." he said dejectedly
"Because you're just so helpful." George glared at him "Aren't you Ronniekins."
'Don't forget, funny and sweet.' He added under his breath
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ron looked at George, totally confused as to what could have set his brother off.
George stabbed his eggs viciously "Nothing."
"Fred..."Angelina smiled "If I get you a broom do you think you could help Ron train at practice tonight? I have to work with those two wannabe beaters we got landed with."
"Sure." Fred nodded "Long as you don't think..."
"Would you quit rubbing our noses in that Angelina? We told you already...we feel bad enough without your help." George got up and stalked angrily away from the table.
"But I wasn't..." Angelina began.
Fred put up a hand "We know. Somethings been bothering him since last night."
"What the hell's gotten into him?" Ron asked
"I don't know." Fred looked at the doors of the great hall "But I suppose I should find out before he kills someone."
"Let me go." Angelina offered and got up from the table "It was me he yelled at, maybe he's still mad at me."
-
Angelina found George sulking in the dungeons. George saw her coming and slid over to make room for her on the bench and just as she opened her mouth to speak, he spoke instead.
"I'm sorry Angie. It wasn't you."
"You sure?" She put her hand on his arm. "I wouldn't blame you if you were still angry with me."
"No." George turned to her and put an arm around her shoulders, giving her a one armed hug, then he pulled his arm away "it's not you...it's just... something else."
"Will you tell me?"
For the first time in her life, Angelina saw George Weasley blush.
"Wow...is it that bad?"
"Promise not to tell anyone? Even Fred?"
Angelina nodded "Of course. You know you can trust me. Right?"
"Yeah, I do know." George nodded "it's just...this is hard for me. I've never...gone through anything like this before."
"Well, then tell me, maybe we can talk through it."
George laughed "I don't think talking will do much with my problem."
"You won't know unless you try, right?"
George nodded and sighed "There's this person, a girl."
"You have a crush on someone?" Angelina bit her lip to keep from grinning.
"Not a crush." George shook his head "No, it's much worse than that."
"Who is it?" Angelina asked, 'As if I don't already know.'
"Oh no." He shook his head "Can't tell you that." 'As if you can't figure it out on your own.'
"Thing is, I think she cares for someone else." 'Like my sweet and funny little brother that I want to choke the shit out of right now.'
"Oh, I see." 'So, Luna has a crush on Fred huh?'
Angelina felt suddenly depressed. She'd had a thing for Fred Weasley since she had grown her first hormones, and given the relationship between Fred and George and Luna...it was very possible that Fred could feel the same way about Luna that George did.
What was she to do? She couldn't be mean and catty to Luna...it would just piss Fred off, and besides, Luna was too nice to do that to her. She had already hurt Luna enough, she wouldn't do it again.
No, the only thing for it was to just accept it, and try to move on. Unless...
"Have you considered telling 'Luna' this girl how you feel?"
"I've tried...but it's not exactly easy for me. I've never done this...I've never wanted to do this before."
A memory suddenly filled George's head, Ron and Luna hugging at the last DA meeting before Christmas...when Luna hadn't been speaking to him. "Thing is...I think maybe this other person might like her too."
'Oh god!' Angelina's memory exploded with the scrolls that Luna had showed her. 'It's Fred sending Luna the scrolls!'
"You don't know that though!" Angelina suddenly sounded scared "Right?"
"I don't know it, no."
"Well, you know what they say." Angelina sighed "Alls fair in love and war. If you care about this girl 'Luna' then you need to fight for her. No matter who the other person is that she may, or may not, care for.
'And if he...when he wins...then Fred will still be available."
"I don't know..."
"I've never seen George Weasley back down from a challenge. Not losing your nerve are you?"
"As if."
But did he really have the gall to fight for her? Him, the guy who couldn't even ask a girl to the Yule ball? He had to...she already meant far too much to him.
"You're right." George smiled "I'll fight for her."
Angelina smiled with relief. She had seen George with his charm on full tilt before...if anyone could keep Fred and Luna from each other...it was George.
"Angie..." he looked at her, his face semi red again "How do I do that, fighting for her I mean?"
"You really are hopeless with this whole thing, aren't you?" Angelina laughed when George looked at her, his face nearly petrified. "Don't worry, I'll help you."
"I'm still not telling you who it is."
"You don't have to tell me." Angelina grinned and finished the sentence in her head '..cause I already know. And we'll both win, you'll get Luna, I'll get Fred, and we'll all live happily ever after'
-
Luna had started to look forward to owl delivery more than any other time of the day. Over the past week the owls from her secret admirer had begun to come with startling regularity.
She smiled as the owls came through the windows and was surprised to look up to find a odd, sickly looking owl coming towards her instead of the typical school owl she had become accustomed to. As her friendship with Fred and George had deepened, the other letters had tapered off and finally stopped. Still, every morning she was greeted by the familiar burgundy script over the scroll tied with a burgundy ribbon.
The owl crash landed in her toast, panted heavily while Luna untied the scroll...with a new addition, a single yellow rose. Luna's father was a fan of botany so she was well aware that a yellow rose signified eternal love. She wondered if her secret letter sender knew this as well or if it was just coincidence. Luna would find out soon enough...
-
Eternally I wait for you
I long so for your touch
you don't know how it tortures me
this loving you so much
I want to hold you in my arms
But distance takes you away
I want to tell you who I am
But fear keeps me at bay
Could you dear one love me too
Are your feelings the same
Or would you only turn from me
If tell you my name
-
I am yours...eternally
-
"Luna." Neville Longbottom waved a hand in front of her face "Are you okay?"
"Yes Neville." Her smile was incredibly dreamy "I'm wonderful."
"We'll, I just wanted to warn you to be careful."
"Careful? What ever for?" She smiled, confused
"Well, I saw the owl that delivered you're mail this morning."
"Yes?"
"Well, see, I know Ron's owl pretty well, being in the same house as him and all. You shouldn't use him if you don't want Umbridge searching your mail like she is Harry's"
"That owl..." Luna was remembering the burgundy ribbon "Belongs to Ron Weasley? Are you sure?"
Neville nodded "Oh yes, I was sitting right next to Ron when it delivered a howler to him once." He laughed "I'll never forget that."
"Well" Luna's head was swimming "Thank you for the warning Neville."
Neville smiled and walked away, leaving Luna with the shocking revelation.
'My secret admirer...Ron Weasley?'
-
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Chapter Eight Preview
Things get more and more
complicated and confusion is the order of the day
as another blizzard arrives...and with it,
Luna's most romantic owl yet!
